"The shows depict lives in turmoil with deceptive simplicity — an elusive quality that the Transport Group captures in the graceful revivals...Inge's work burst with generous humanity and possessed a sure grasp on the power of intimacy — something these productions skillfully bring to the fore...The productions work well together because Mr. Cummings and his cast are in sync with Inge’s sensibility, aware as he was that understatement is powerful."
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"It’s astonishing how little in the way of artifice is required to create powerful theater. An artful script helps, and William Inge’s 'Picnic' is an oft-revived neo-classic for good reason...In mounting this barebones revival, director Jack Cummings III has managed to sand the edges off any potential villains. Even so, each ordinary Kansan depicted appears to be grappling with forces on the scale of Greek tragedy."
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"These revivals, staged by Jack Cummings III and acted by a first-class ensemble cast, will leave you in no doubt that Inge was one of America’s half-dozen greatest playwrights...Simplicity and intimacy are the keys to these stagings...This kind of bare-bones staging works only if the actors are strong enough not to need to hide behind the production. Mr. Cummings’s cast delivers the goods...In the end, though, Mr. Cummings is the hero of the piece."
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"Two excellent productions featuring a terrific cast that blows the dust off these somewhat dated classics...Jack Cummings III directs these plays with loving detail...Inge's depiction of women is decidedly of its time...But then there's Elless...Elless' performances are, by themselves, worth the price of admission...Cummings can't prevent the plots from veering toward the melodramatic at times, but their power for us today is that they open windows into a past that we often forget existed."
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“Transport Group's superb mounting of both of these plays in repertory is staged by director Jack Cummings III in an intimate environment that allows natural performances and gentle nuances…While Millie's determination to make an independent life for herself is the guts of 'Picnic,' the tragedy lies in Skinner's fascinating Rosemary, who gives off a sexy, carefree vibe until it's finally revealed to her that Howard is not going to marry her...Beautifully subtle glimpses of human longings.”
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"If these productions don't convince you that Inge is one of our finest playwrights, nothing will...Nobody understood the corrosive effects of loneliness better than Inge, and Emily's account of her spinster schoolteacher life is presented with savage exactitude...'Picnic' has a director who understands Inge's play from the inside out and a gifted cast that is alive to the script's tiniest nuances. I've seen three or four productions of 'Picnic,' and this is the finest by far."
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"If Inge seems outdated and somewhat clumsy to current theatergoers, his plays still have the insights and dramatic tension that make them worth revival...But there are problems. Presenting Inge in repertory makes it painfully obvious just how similar his plays are...If much of 'Picnic' and 'Come Back, Little Sheba' is overwrought and obvious, the two plays do give us a picture of middle America back in the 1950s."
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"Despite heavy-handed direction, these revivals of two well-known, insightful and meticulously written works succeed...Inge creates a haunting gallery of individuals struggling with their innermost desires and the class system...With his exceptional physique, great smile and abundant charm, Patterson is perfection as Hal...Mrs. Potts’ warm heart and wisdom are beautifully conveyed by Mac Rae. Michele Pawk gingerly captures the maternal harshness and pragmatism of Flo."
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